During debates held on Wednesday, the 8th of March, Saeima opposition deputy Harijs Rokpelins from the Union of Greens and Farmers accused Minister of Education and Science Anda Čakša (New Unity) of an attempt to quietly pass the school network reform. The minister, on the other hand, suggested not making children into hostages.
Čakša mentioned during debates is that the objective is ensuring quality education for every child in Latvia at a reasonable price. The minister invited Saeima deputies to drop the notion that schools form the economies of municipalities if they do not help children, who do not have access to quality education in schools.
It’s not like children become hostages because we are unable to make necessary decisions, stressed the minister.
Rokpelns responded by saying Čakša didn’t say «anything rational». Although the goal of ensuring quality education is very good, the deputy criticised the attempt «to screw over colleagues and quietly» pass the regulations necessary for the reformation of the school network using the state budget draft.
Čakša submitted the proposal that would open the path towards the reformation of the school network for the final reading with the budget draft together with amendments to the Education Law. After that the coalition, following the proposal from the Combined List political party, reached an agreement to exclude these amendments from the budget plan, so that the school reform can be discussed later on.
The Saeima voted in favour of excluding amendments to the Education Law from the budget package on Wednesday, the 8th of March.
Rokpelnis noted that it was planned to propose amendments to the law through the budget package. These amendments suggested closing 30% of Latvia’s schools. «What is interesting is the fact that neither colleagues in the coalition nor the opposition or most Saeima deputies were informed of this,» said the opposition member, adding that this was an attempt to push this uncomfortable issue «easily and quietly».
The Saeima deputy also said anyone with a working calculator can calculate the closure of small schools will not contribute to the increase of teachers’ wages.
Saeima deputy Antoņina Ņenaševa mentioned during debates that the Progressive Party will support the reformation of the school network once proposals have been submitted in accordance with the rules, not using «underhanded tactics».
Ņenaševa said the school network needs to be reformed. She also asked how teachers’ wages benefited from the closure of 400 schools in the past 23 years.
During the meeting of the 8th of March the Saeima plans to review the state budget plan for 2023.
Also read: Turkey’s earthquake victims weigh in on loyalty to Erdogan